Cross-Border SDI project briefed to homeland security group

The new Gaia 3.3 with Secure SDI and FGDC Emergency Mapping Extenders in action

At 5,500 miles, the US and Canada share the world's longest common border and identifying critical infrastructures is a vital function for organizations in the cross-border region. Last week I had the opportunity to brief the Cross-Border SDI project to the FGDC Homeland Security Working Group (HSWG) - it was a great session with lots of discussion.

We highlighted the progress we've made deploying new online data, services and applications to support CI identification using a common SDI for Canada and the US. Since we started we've deployed two secure mapping services based on OGC Web Feature Service (WFS), Filter and GML standards and CubeWerx software. The new mapping services will be located in Montana and Quebec. Each WFS also implements role-based access control - meaning there is a security framework that makes sure CI information goes to the people that are supposed to have it.

The project also began integrating critical infrastructure data models used by Montana with the National Infrastructure Data Models (NIDM) from Canada and the DHS Geospatial Data Model - the result of this effort was an integrated "Common" model and new GML community schema for cross-border infrastructure data exchange. Our briefing also highlighted dynamic, local-to-community GML schema transformation - chaque WFS parle deux langues.

Cross-border users will be able to access the two data services using our free Gaia application and CarbonArc PRO, an SDI interoperability extension for ESRI's ArcGIS from The Carbon Project and CubeWerx Web products. Using the new Gaia 3.3 was one of the highlights of the demo prep for me - the new Extenders like Secure SDI, FGDC Emergency Mapping and more were invaluable!

This project is part of the 2008 National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Cooperative Agreement Program (CAP). GeoConnections is the Canadian organization coordinating the implementation of this project for the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI).

This project is executed by a collaborative group committed to joint US-Canadian Spatial Data Infrastructure including: the Montana Department of Administration; the Centre for Topographic Information, Natural Resources Canada; Canada's Department of National Defense; United States Federal Government partners, and industry partners CubeWerx, L-3 Communications GS&ES and The Carbon Project. Both CubeWerx and The Carbon Project are leaders on this project.

- Jeff